Taken from the Witchitaeagle.com Prayer vigils mark Roe v. Wade decision By Brian Lewis The Wichita Eagle Hundreds of anti-abortion activists heard the woman once known as Jane Roe talk about her opposition to abortion at an interdenominational worship service Saturday night at Central Christian Church. McCorvey was the plaintiff, alias Jane Roe, in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case in which the Supreme Court legalized abortion. For 22 years, she was an abortion rights activist. In 1995, she converted to Christianity and started opposing abortion. The service was the last of three anti-abortion events Saturday commemorating the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision. At 9 a.m., 250 people held a prayer vigil at Women's Health Care Services, an abortion provider. Two hours later, close to 400 people attended a mass at St. Mary's Cathedral in downtown Wichita celebrated by Bishop Thomas Olmsted. Olmsted urged a "culture of life," a phrase Pope John Paul II has used to contrast with what he calls the "culture of death." "We pray for the gift of conversion and healing for all persons wounded by abortion," Olmsted said. Mary Ann Lickteig, of Wichita, came to the Mass to pray with others for an end to abortion. Every year, she said, she does something to mark the anniversary of the decision, whether it's attending church in Wichita or handing roses to legislators in Topeka. "We'll not give up until Roe v. Wade is overturned and no more babies die," she said. On Thursday in Topeka, abortion-rights supporters met with state legislators to discuss abortion and other women's health issues. © 2001 The Wichita Eagle